1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a seat assembly for a motor vehicle. More particularly, this invention relates to a seat assembly including a seat back frame and a bracket for securing an armrest and a recliner mechanism thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
A motor vehicle seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back that pivots relative to the seat cushion. The seat back includes a seat back frame. Typically, the seat back frame is made from steel or aluminum. The use of either of these materials for the seat back frame, however, requires additional structural elements to allow the seat back frame to withstand various loads. For example, seat back frames made from steel require a reinforcement tube placed therewithin. Meanwhile, aluminum seat back frames require support plates to be attached to the outside thereof.
In addition to the structural load bearing elements that must be added on to the seat back frame, a number of brackets must also be affixed to the seat back frame to secure various components, such as armrests and recliner mechanisms, thereto. More particularly, two separate brackets must be attached to each side of the seat back frame; one to secure the armrest to the seat back frame and another to secure the recliner mechanism to the seat back frame. The welding of two separate brackets to each side of the seat back frame, however, results in increased cycle time. In addition, the use of two separate brackets requires that the relative location between the brackets be constantly maintained during assembly.
A seat assembly mounted on a floor of a motor vehicle includes a seat cushion having a seat cushion frame operatively secured to the floor. The seat assembly also includes a seat back having a seat back frame including side members and an upper crossmember extending between the side members fixedly secured to the seat cushion frame. A recliner mechanism is fixedly secured to the seat cushion frame for pivotally moving the seat back relative to the seat cushion, and an armrest is connected to one of the side members. In addition, a bracket includes a base and first and second mounting arms extending out from the base. The base is fixedly secured to one of the side members. The armrest is secured to the first mounting arm and the recliner mechanism is secured to the second mounting arm such that the bracket maintains a predetermined distance between the armrest and the recliner mechanism.